Liquid-fuel atomizer



vMay 4 1926.

L.. l. ALDRICH LIQUID FUELATOMIZER Filed June .25,y 1925 2 'shegts-shet 1 [220.927 Por Patented May 4, 1926..

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

LOYD I. ALDRIC LIQUID-FUEL i ATOMIZER.

Application med :une 25, 1323. serial 1ra-647,444.

To al 107mm it `may concern:` Be it known that Loro I. Annuler-r, citizen oit the lnited States ot' America, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State votf Illinois.v has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Fuel A tomizers, ot which the following is a specification. v My invention relates to liq izers.

The object of my invention is in the prouid fuel atomvision ot a liquid fuel atomizing device C0m- :isA

prisiuga mechanical atomizihg means operated'by an electric motor and a series of electrical' switches co-operating with the. usual house thermostat for controlling the operation thereof. i

Another object of-my invention. is in the particularl adaptation and lco-operatiou ol a r-'eries of relay and safety control switches .with Aa mechanical fuel burning means to produce an efiicientlybperating device.

Yet anotheruject is my particular mauner of relating-,the house thermostat to a furnace thermal control member whereby operation of the burner is controlled to prevent pre-ignition or rather pre-explosion.

-A still further object is inthe fashioning ot a series oi switches in comperatinzg,r high and low voltage circuits in connection with a house thermostat whereby a short` Circuiting ot said thermostat will take place to prevent overheating by the low voltage current.

Still another object of my invention is in the particular fashioniug of my relay and safely switches wherein a co-operation Vof elements results in an efliciency of operation and simplicity ot structure.

Another object of my invention is in the provision of a mechanical conneetionwbeltweenthe'fuel burning device and the/ main switch in the electrical circuit to insure the' cutting out ot said electrical circuit upon Failure ot operation ofthe burner.

Other objects of my invention'will appear in the following specification taken in connection with the annexed drawings inl which v Figure l shows in elevation my fuel atom- .izer with the electrical control members therefor set out in diagram. Y

Figure 2 is a plan'view of the'main or relay 'switch and the Safety switch.

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the H; 0F POBIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HART.v OIL BRNER C0., OF

PEORIA, ILLINOIS, A CORIORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

f 'other burners in the art which are inserted mounting of the transformer and spark` coil.

Figure 4 a perspective showing-oli the relay switch in detail. u

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a portion or' the mechanical connection between the fue] atomizer and the electricall circuit.

' Figure is a sectional view in detail of one of the solenoids in the relay switch'.

ln a former application for liquid fuel atomizing devices, Serial No."633,272, tiled- April 19th, 199.3. by applicant, there was a complete description of the fuel atomiziug \dcvice shown in' Figure l ofthe drawings.

F or the above reason, it is not thought neces-. sar)y to again go into a detailed account ot said portions but merely to state thatv by said mechanism a n ignitable fuel mixture is toi-med' and discharged into a combustion chamber. -The onlyl connection the present application has which might involve a de Scription ol portions of said burner is in a mechanical means connecting' the burner with the electrical circuit. which will later be described. The present application is directed to the control means jlor said burnermember. or rather. for the electrical motor which furnishes the power therefor. The burner member generally described as X has mounted there-above, a switch-board lt),l attached to the burner b'y meansI of a bracket; .11. integrally" attached thereto. Upon this switch-board arc--mounted the various-electrical switches, to be later described, and `tue electrical wiring therefor.

As is well known in the burnei` art, or rather the automatically operated burner art. a thermostat 'is mounted in a desirable part ot the house and controls the operation of the burner thru a series ot switches. The same. result is accomplished in the present application: i.\e. the control of theburner thru the house thermostat. However, in the present instance there are other results ac-` complished. due to the particular relation' ing ot parts and tashioning of same.

' A thermostat described as l2 and vof usual construction is placed in the desired part of -th'e house or other building thatvis to be heate'd by the burner.

I have not thought it necessary toshow the burner 'as adaptedA for practicaluse and merely state thatit is mounted similarly to either into the ordinary house furnace or in- ,to any other combustion chamber adapted for the use of li uid fuel heat.

their operation is not thought necessary. In

*In' Figure 3 o the drawings lis shownin -plan atransformer 13 and spark coil 14.-'v

These elements are of formal construction and for this reasona detailed description of Figure 2 is shown my special relay or main switch comprising the followingfparts:-A bracket 16 is attached to the switchboard as at 17 and has pivoted thereto by means of a the contact end 20 thereof is shown as quite.

broad, the opposite end 21 merely being a single extending arm having at its outer end a lug 22 adapted to be engaged bya horizontally moving member to be later" described. A second engagement lug 23 is alsol shown. having connection with the arm 2,1. As said before the Contact end of the mam switch is quite broad and pivoted with relation to this portion of the main switch are.

the two subswitches 24 and 25 which are connected to the portion 20 by means ofthe coil springs 26 and 27 respectively. u .These subswitches 24 and 25 have the' contact points 28 and29 respectively thereon. The Contact point 28 engaging a corresponding insulated terminal 30. The other subswitch 25 has its Contact portion adapted to engage an opposed terminal 31er short. circuiting portion. For the purpose of later identifica# tion, I- wish .t'o term these subswitches circuit-breaking switch and short-circuiting switch respectively. The action of the mam switch is clearly seen from observing Figure.

4 of the drawings wherein the main switch is pivotecl upon the knife edge point 18 and v the contact end thereof is adapted to make or break contact with the opposed contact point 32. 'In other words, when .the contactA end of the main switch is thrown upward it makes contactbetween the points 20?I and 32 and'at the -same time, due to the action of the `coil springs, the sub switches are thrown upward and make contact with the circuitbreaking .and s'hort-rircuiting portions respectively; vice versa; when the switch is thrown to its off position by mechanism to be hereafter described, the extended `arm 21 of the switch is thrown upward with the result that the contact is broken between the points 20a and 32, and similarly t-he downward movement ofthe contact portion of the switch thru the action of the coil springs 26 and 27 breaks the contacts between the cir-- cultfbreaker and short-circuiting portions.

from'o'ne posit-ion to the other'isprovided 1n the two soleno1ds.33 and 34 disposed di- `rrectly beneath the mainswitch and adjacentits" outer ends. These solenoids 33 and 34 aresimilar ineonstructjio'n, having windings The means for throwing the main switch 35 thereabout, and slidabletherein plunge'rs 36' adapted to reciprocate in thefcylindrical portions 37 of said solenoids. Theseplungers havestems-38 projecting thru the upper endsof the solenoid and adapted to engagel causing the release ofthe plunger. I have merely described one of these solenoids as they are similar-in construction and adapted to move the main or relay switch to the. off

- or, onposit ion as desired.- Disposed within both of the plungers, in the solenoids are thermal or bi-inet-al strips 39 attached tothe plungers .as at 40 and at their lower ends adapted or capable of engaging an 'insulated lterminal 41. It might be saidV at this time that the contact between'tl/ie thermal metall strip and the insulateldi terminals is only 1n ade when the temperature, dueto the heatingof the solenoid coils, has caused considerable deflection of t-he thermal strips. The insulated terminals areconnected by wires 42' and 43 l'to a magnetic coil.44, in a safety switch mechanism now to be described.

This safety switch mechanism coloperates 'with' the 'solenoids which are in the main switch mechanism and is formed of the following parts The magnetic coil 44 isattached 'to the `switch-board as .at 45 and has its magnetic surface 46 lad'acent a pivoted arm -47 having a hooked lower end 48 switch-board.4 '.The switch bar 50 carries an insul-atedjcontact portion 52 thereon adapted or capable of making contact with an aajacent opposed terminal 53. In briey relat-ing the thermal mechanism in the solenoid plunger to. the safety-switch, it might be said that the extension ofg the thermal metal members, makes an electrical connection, whereby the magnetic coil 44 attracts the pivoted arm 47 w1th a resultant release of the switch bar 50 and the breaking of contact between the opposed points 52 and 53. -0

Perhaps at this time it would be well to describe the y ignition means for the luci burner and vits relation to the electrical.

switches above mentioned. -The fuel mixture in the present structure is ignited byy means of a' gas llame, said gas flame likewise being ignitedby a spark mechanism. The whole ignition means operates but temporar1ly, or ratherfor a short period, upon the `commencement of the operation of the device. Means fou-providing a spark to ignite the gas pilot 'adjacent the discharge opening of the burner, is provided in the spark coil 14, connected to a shunt around the solenoid or on coil7 In other words, the primary circuit of the spark coil is connected to the wire on either side of the on coil to a. spark coil energized' and functioning only when the current is flowing lthru the. on coil and as 'we will See later,

switch or Aportions thereof to regulate the` supply of gas thru the tube 55. f

. The above is accomplished in the following manner z-In Figure 2 of the drawings Ais shown the gas supply tube adjacent the solenoid 33 of the main switch. This gas supply tube has a valve portion 56 therein, with the stem 0f thel internally operated valve 57, extending downwardly therefrom and adapted to engage an arm 58 pivoted to the switchboard at59 and engaging at its opposite end 60 the lower end of the plunger 36 in the solenoid 33;' Asv has been said before, the ignition mechanism operates but temporarily and of course this takes place upon the initial operation of the device which is at the time the main switch is thrown to its on or rather upward position. The operation of the plunger in the solenoid 33 throws the contact end of the main switch upward and at the Same time releases the valve 56 in the gas supply tube 55 permitting the flow of, gas to the pilot adjacent the fuel discharge opening` where ture :f-

it is ignited by the sparking,r mechanism. It may be clearly seen that the movement of the plunger 36 controls the gas supply and consequently the ignition of the fuel.

In `my co-pending application, upon the structural features of the present fuel burning device, I described the operation of the diaphragm 61, the raising andv lowering of which, due to burner movement, acted in such manner as to control the supply of fuel to the burner. In other words, Iuntil a determined pressure was reached in the diaphragm, the fuel control valve would remain closed and likewise upon cessation of burner activity there would be a consequent shutting off of the fuel flow thereto.

My present application intends to relate the activity of this diaphragm to the main or relay switch before described; and in other words, to connect the mechanical por.

tions of the burning device to the control switches by meansv of the following struc- The -ldiaphragm 61 thru its movement forces upwardly or downwardly'. the longitudinal arm 62 which has at its inner endn slip connection 63 withthe arm 64-pivoted at 65 to the vertical lug 66. A substantially vertical lever 67 is pivoted to the outer'endA of the arm 64 and tensioned with respect I thereto by vmeans of a small coil spring 68 engaging the hook portions 69 and 70 on the respective levers. This vertical lever67 is adapted to reciprocate, influenced by movement of the diaphragm within the guide ways71 and 72 attached to the.switclr board as at 73 and 74.v In several of the figures in 'the drawings 'this arm or lever has been shown. In Figures 4 and 5 it is illustrated in the clearest manner. In these figures the upper end of the lever is shown having the cam portion 75, and a roller 76 in the upper guide way is adapted to .ride in thiscam portion. In Figure 4 dotted and full line views ,illustrate the peculiar action of this lever in its upwardy movement. As said before a small coil spring tends-to force the in Figure 4, to raise the end 21 of the main switch; or. in other words, to throw the main switch to its oli' position that is, breaking the contact betweenl the points 20a and 32.' The lever at its upper end abuts the lug 22 on the main switch and during its upward movement carries with it this end of the switch. However, when the roller 76 rides out of the cam way the lever is thrown sufficiently outward lto release the lug 22 on the main switch thereby leaving the main switch in such position that its normal pivotable movement will not be further restricted; or in other words, permitting thereafter normal operation.

In Figure 1 of the drawings there` is shown' at 77 a thermal control member, or rather, furnace thermostat. This member is adapted to be mounted within thecombustion chamber wherein the ignited fuel mixture is discharged. This furnace thermostat has been described in detail inlmy co-pending application No. 632,541 filed April 16th 1923 and briefly is made up of a thermal or bi-metal strip 78, the movement of which is controlled b temperature conditions within. the combustion chamber vand thisfmovement is transmitted to a contact portion shown atS 79. t In other words, when the temperature within the combustion chamber is normal, contact is vmade Itherein and when the tem- -perature rises upon ignition of the fuel mixmean-s for timing the breaking ofthe contact relative to the rise in temperature.

. currents and operation of the burner. There The structural features of my electrical control portions have been set out and I' now wish to describe. the operations of the var ious switches with rel'ation to the electric are two electrical lines coming in from the street at 100 and 101 and a` switch is located -i'n each line. -.One of these switches is the relay or main switch and. the other is the.

safety device operated by the heating of the thermal element in o-ne of the magnets. These lines coming in from the street carry a high voltagerurrent and the transformer takes this 110 volt currentfrom-.both wires by forming va shunt -from the mainline transformer functions.

which completes the circuit thru the electric motor. The wires. taking this 110 vo'lt current to the transformer are'shown at 30 and 51. .Y

Now since one of the connections of the transformer line is between the motor and the safety switch a breaking of the main line current by the safety switch stops the current flowing thru the transformer as `Well as thru ,the electric motor; in other'Words, making the entire outfit inactive. Hence We Will see that both of the switches: i. e.; the main and safety switches-in the 110 volt circuit' must befclosed in order-that the motor or y The transformer 13` produces in its functioning, a low voltage current which we use to operate the relay or main switch before v mentioned, thru a magnetizing of the solenoids 33- and 34; this current also being utilizedr to operate the magnet 44 and safety switch thru the heating of the thermal metal 'strip39 in the plunger portion; the above operation being'performcd as follows In case the voltage is maintained for a'v certain period thru one .of the solenoids, it causes this solenoid to-heat, this heating'vbeing in proportion to the length of time Said current is flowing. The plunger which is.

movable Awithin the solenoid carries therein the thermal or bi-metal strip 39. This strip, as said before, tends tobend when heated,

A'this' bending being in proportion to the degree of temperature to which it is subjected.

' The low voltage current from the transvao former can flow only thru the safety magnet A when this thermal strip is bent sufficiently to make contact with the insulated'terminal 41- leading fromthis winding. In other words the bending of this thermal strip 39 in the solenoid closes the -circuit thru the safety magnetvwinding Awhich vbecomes en-` ergized and trips the pivoted lever .47 releasing the switch bar' 50 therebyibreaking 4the 110 volt or main-line circuit which is carried by the Wires 100 and 101. For the purpose ofdescription, we will call the sole- -K noid 33 'the oncoil, from the fact that it' to control.

throwsv the main line switch to the on po'- stion. l,The other, the off coil, from the p' -sary to -operate the burner.v Leaving the transformer the current flows tothe switch operated by the thermostat which is locatedin the desired portion ofthe house or other building, the temperature of which, we-Wish This thermostat switch vbeing closed, thecurrent passes thru thesame to the on coil thru its winding and to a switch which wecall the furnace thermostat, or furnace switch, which, if closed, `allowsthe current toA flow back to the transformer. Hence you will see there are two switches in this line, both of which must be closed in order that this coil 33' will become magnetized'and operate the main switch. ,Also, this on coil 33 will remain energized and magnetized until one of thesevswitches is opened. This on coil at the same time, when it throws due to the upward movement of the plunger 36, also opens the gas valve thru connected mechanism which supplies the pilot flame for ignition purposes. 'We see thus that the gas valve will remain' open as long as the solenoid or .plunger is magnetized or rather `held in its upper position. We also have the spark coil` 14 connected to a shuntv around this on coil. "In other words, the primary circuit of the spark coil is connected thru the wires on either side of the on coil to 'either the thermostatl or furnace switch is opened;v Since the furnace switch opens -upon the temperature in said furnace or combustlonchamber rising due to the burn`4 ingof the fuel mixture therein, it will be seen that immediately after the ignition of said fuel this furnace thermostat'or switch will open, vbreaking the contact in the 'low voltage circuit and causing the plunger 36 in thev fon coil to drop back to the normal,

the main switch into position,

a spark coil energized and functioning only or rather the lower, position occupied before the room thermostat closed the circuit causing the oncoil to be energized.

In connection with the above'descriptionv of the relationing of the thermostat and furnace-switch with the main switch, it is desired to point out that if the temperature in the combustion vchamber is sufliciently causing an explosion or so-callcd vrun position it carries with high the furnace thermostat thru its relative parts will not close. Therefore, even if contact was made in the thermostat proper, there could be no energizing of the on coil vand therefore the main switch thrown to the run position and the outfit started.- The object in relating the switchesin the above mentioned manner is to prevent a starting of the outfit by, manipulation of the house thermostat in the combustion chamber or furnace has cooled sufiiciently to prevent preignition of thev fuel mixture discharged therein. thus puff which characterizes the ignition in most oil burning devices.

Also, it will be noted from the vdrawings that when the main switch is thrown to the it a pair of movable contacts on the subswitches which move up against terminals insulated. from the main switch. These subswitches serve, one as a circuit breaker and the other as a short-circuiting device. The operation of the short circuiting device is as follows IVhen the main' switch is thrown to the on position,- the entire current. necessary to operate the solenoid is'lowing for an instant thermostat and if permitted thru the room to flow thusly for any vlength of time it wouldbe heated to such an extentthat it I ergizing of the solenoid ory would not function properly. However, when the main switch is thrown to its run position thru the. action of the subswitches there is a short circuiting thru the mediums above described. of the house thermostat and the -current is short circuited directly from thetransformer to the on coil thus cutting out the current owing thru the ther-l mostat on account of the resistance of the wlring. v

We will now consider thefunctioningof the off coil or solenoid 34, the principle of which is to throw the main switch open when thetemperature of the room rises to such an extent that it`operates the switch in the room thermostat.- The current which energizes this so-called off coil leaves the transformer flowing to the room thermostat thru the switch Ythence thru the coil fwinding, thence thru an insulated post 30 where it makes Contact with the subswitchor circuit breaking switch which is'operated by the main switch. From. thev drawings it will be seen that this circuit can -be broken either by the main switch being thrown to its off position thus opening the circuit breaking switch, or by the-temperature of the room falling to such an extent that it opens the switch in the thermostat. Also., it will be seen that either one of these switches being open in this line will prevent the enoif -coil. The

The-circuit breaking switchis only closed could not bebefore the brick work- `upon initial switch movement; y

`a liquid fuel when the main switch is in its run position. The thermostat switch is closed because of the rising room temperature, and the currentthus energizes vthe solenoid causing the plunger to rise, with the result lthat the main switch is thrown t0 its oii` the switches iu the on coil circuit.

I have previously 4set'out the operation of the lever 67 which connects the diaphragm 61 in the burner device with the main switclnsaid lever providing a means lfor cutting out the electrical connections to the motor upon failure of the burner mechanism. l

1. In combination with a `liquid fuel burner, automatic control means therefor including a primary electricalcircuit having a main vand safety switch ltherein, a secondary circuit adapted to operate said main switch. .including a transformer house thermostat and furnace thermostat, and means including a subswitch for short circuiting the house thermostat from the direct circuit 2. In combination with burner, automatic control means therefor includingv a main switch, means for operating saidswitch including a pair of solenoids, electric means for operating said solenoids to throw the switch inA either direction and temperature control mechanism for operating the solenoids including a house thermostat and furnace thermostat.

.3. In combination with a liquid fuel burner, including a pivoted main switch, a pair of solenoids disposed thereunder and adapted upon being energized to throw said switch and-means for controlin either direction, ling the operation of said solenoids including a house thermostat andfurnace thermostat.

4. In combination with a liquid fuel burner, automatic control means therefor including a pivoted main'4 switch, a pair of its being` thrown to-the on position by the closing of automatic control means therefor,

solenoids adapted to operatel said switch, a I

house thermostat, a furnace theimostat con'- trolling the operatlon of said solenoids and` an ignition means for the burner including a gas `and spark mechanism controlled by the operation of one of said solenoids.'

5. In combination with a liquid fuel burner, automatic control means therefor, including'a house thermostat, a main switch, a solenoid adapted to operate said switch, a 'safety switch, a thermal metal control member within said'solenoid adapted under cerisb tain conditions to operate said safety switch, and aternperature 'controlled switch located in the combustion chamber and capable upon lrising temperatures combustion conditions, of 'permitting the extension of said thermal strip in the solenoid to release the safety switch.

6. In vcombination with a liquid fuel burner; automatic control means therefor,

including a house thermostat, a pivoted'mainl burner actuating mechanism, automatic con- .c

trol'means for the burner, including a thermostat, a main switch adapted-to be oper-l v of automatically ycutting out said solenoid, and upon failure of ated the thermostat andv controlling the activity ofthe burner, and means for returning the main switch to a starting position .upon failure of time', said means including a member ca able of moving the main switch to avstartlng position and an element movable upon initial movement of the actuating mechanism for controlling said member.

l8. In combination with-an electric motor driven fuel burner, an ignition member and 'safety mechanism comprising an electric circuit including in series normally controlling the burner, an electrically tuating mechanism and a member sensitive to vcombustion conditions and a switch'requiring manual reset adapted to be opened by the electrically operated a starting switch operation of the operated switch acyswitch actuating mechanism upon a failure of initial ignition or a conditions thereafter. y

n testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

LoYDl 1. ALDRICH.

failure of combustion contacts operated'byv burneractivity at any 

